Strong Caring Dedicated
by PurpleDuckTwins
Summary: All he wanted was to help her, to make her see that it didn't matter, so what she was a chrome that didn't define her. Valerie had proved that when she chose the life of a civil servant, and everyday since through her dedication, hard work and kindness.


**The show didn't mention much about chromes and how they fit into society, so here's my take on it. Hope you enjoy!**

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It was late and the precinct was nearly deserted, John watched Valerie disappear down the hallway toward the interrogation rooms. He followed, knowing that all of the cases had been wrapped up for the day and that she would be alone in one of the rooms. The last door was a jar and John walked silently towards it, he slowly pushed it open to find Valerie leaning against the window facing the table.

She didn't look over as he walked into the room; as soon as she decided to take a minute to herself she knew that he would follow her. John had been watching her closely all day, seeing how this case had affected her.

He leaned a shoulder against the window facing her arms crossed, she turned so her body was a mirror image of his and met his gaze. "You okay?" was all that he asked.

Valerie looked away from him toward the empty room, contemplating how to answer him. John reached out touching her elbow, trying to draw her gaze back to him. All he wanted was to help her, to make her see that it didn't matter, so what she was a chrome that didn't define her. Valerie had proved that when she chose the life of a civil servant, and everyday since through her dedication, hard work and kindness.

Valerie looked back up at John, catching his eyes and couldn't look away again. She took a step toward him, then another closing the space and pressing her face into his chest as her arms wrapped around his body. It took John less than a second to respond, pulling her closer one hand on her shoulder, the other on her upper back. They stayed like this for a while, neither one wanting to break the connection to the other.

Finally Valerie answered his question, speaking into John's chest, "I thought that I had put this behind me, that it didn't matter anymore. I know that I can't change who or what I am, but all through my childhood I just wanted to be like everyone else. They didn't have special schools for chromes back then, I was in the minority and the other students never let me forget it." Tears were running slowly down her checks now, soaking into John's shirt.

He pulled back slightly and tilted her face up so he could look into her eyes, "It doesn't matter, and you are a strong, caring and dedicated detective. That's who and what you are, being a chrome is just a small part of that, a part that you have no control over. It's the choices we make that define us, not the choices that others make for us." John said as he brushed the tears from her face.

A trace of a smile appeared on Valerie's face as she leaned further into John and placed a soft kiss on his check, "Thank you John," she whispered into his ear. She started to pull back but hesitated with her lips an inch from his. They both leaned in at the same time, locking onto each other's lips. John's hand slid from her shoulder to caress the side of her face and the other slid down to her lower back pulling her tighter to him, never wanting this moment to end.

One of Valerie's hands slid around to his front, then up to his shoulder pulling her up into the kiss. When they broke apart John rested his forehead against hers, not letting her slip even the slightest bit away. "We shouldn't be doing this at work" Valerie said looking into John's eyes.

"No, we shouldn't" he replied, leaning in and kissing her lightly before taking a step back. John ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh.

Valerie glanced into the mirror that divided the interrogation room from the observation room. Brushing a few loose strands of hair into place and straightening her shirt before looking back at John.

His eyes had never left her face, taking everything in. "Do you want to go get a drink?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Valerie smiled, "even if you aren't a chrome," she added with a shrug, but the smile on her face left no doubt in John's mind that she was teasing him.

He smiled, "So now you care," he said as he stepped aside so that she could exit the room in front of him.

"Well, my parents really do seem to think that it's important and I wouldn't want to let them down." She said over her shoulder briefly catching his eye before leaving the room. John followed with a soft laugh escaping his lips.


End file.
